For the FathersMinistry

The question of the poor and needy and a Christian’s duty to help has been hijacked for political purposes. The Bible is very clear about the responsibility to help. That command is to “you” the individual. The individual must use his own resources voluntarily. The command is not to confiscate by force from someone to see that the command is met.

Here is a quote by John Zmirak “We cannot practice Charity toward the poor through confiscation from the rich.” Charity as described in the Bible is your service and your sacrifice, not you forcing someone else to serve and sacrifice for your favorite cause, no matter how worthy your cause.

First a quote from the Old Testament which clearly spells out that the command is to the individual. Deut15.11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Secondly a quote from the New Testament which clearly spells out that there will always be the poor and needy.. Matt26.11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. My Dad used to say that the Lord loved the poor; that’s why he made so many.

The Bible also spells out that the rich and powerful have very little understanding of the Gospel and therefore not many are saved. 1Cor.26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

I once read that a noble lady from England that worked with the poor everyday stated that she was saved by an “M”. For the verse says that “not many noble were saved”. If it had said not “any”, she would have been lost. Instead it said “not many”. She said she was saved by an “M”. She certainly knew her Bible and I am sure she used this story to make a point with her other noble friends.